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Summary An elephant polo match has been canceled in northern Indian city of Jaipu.
Animal rights activists objected that the sport was cruel to the animals.The group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals called the cancellation of Sundays match a victory for the elephants.Beer giant Carlsberg India had yanked its sponsorship of the Polo Cup in the northern state of Rajasthan after protests, Jaipur District Magistrate Naveen Mahajan said.Officials also noted the elephants were not properly registered as performing animals.Polo played on elephants instead of horses is a popular novelty sport in Nepal, India and Thailand, and it has been staged in Jaipur for about four decades.Activists say polo-playing elephants, however, are trained through harsh means including being poked with metal rods and hooks.Elephants are protected in India, where there are more than two dozen sanctuaries for wild tuskers.Under his plea deal Hicks is forbidden from appealing or collaterally attacking his conviction in the United States and he can be forced to serve out the rest of his sentence if he does so, limiting his legal options.He is also banned from undertaking, participating in or supporting litigation in any forum against the United States or any of its officials... with regard to (his) capture, treatment, detention, or prosecution.Accordingly, his appeal to the UN is framed against Australia rather than against the US.Authored by humanitarian lawyer Ben Saul on Hicks behalf, the submission calls for Australia to request the US authorities to formally overturn Mr Hicks conviction under US law and to nullify the plea agreement.It also asks for Canberra to initiate and conduct an independent investigation into allegations that David Hicks was tortured or subjected to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment in US custody.
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